Does just getting top or bottom braces alone make your treatment shorter?

Not necessarily: Treatment time is dependent on a number of things. The amount of movement needed and the method of moving the teeth will dictate the length of treatment. Just doing one arch one necessarily cut the time in half, as some people think. It may even be argued that doing both arches would decrease treatment time as you are able to move both arches simultaneously as opposed to one at a time.

No : Each treatment appointment will be slightly shorter, but the time for the teeth to become straight will be the same. Sometimes putting braces on both upper and lower arch of teeth are easier for the orthodontist or dentist to move the teeth into proper position, even if you just want one arch to straighten.

Not always: In fact, it is better to treat both arches to set up a proper bite and tooth relationships. Tooth arrangement is not just about "having staight teeth" its about having a proper bite and tooth function.

Perspective & goal?: The purpose of getting orthodontic treatment is to correct your bite which in turn will improve the esthetics and also improve function resulting in less tooth and gum problems over time. The length of treatment time is dependent upon the deviation from the ideal. The upper and lower teeth are inter-related and it's unusual to only treat u or l teeth. Consider long term goals and not just time.

Not necessarily : The length of time for treatment is more related to the severity of the bite or crowing or spaces.

No: The length of time your treatment is dependent on the severity of your malocclusion and your cooperation with wearing any appliances or elastics your dentist may have you wear.

Yes and No: The answer can't be that simple. It all depends on what is necessary to correct your malocclusion. For those who simply want their "teeth straight" for cosmetic reasons, yes, treatment could be shorter. However, that will not correct any issues with your bite (how your teeth come together) or how your upper and lower teeth occlude with each other.

Depends: There are invisalign cases done for one arch, just make sure your bite/ occlusion is well factored in, as well as your overall goals and esthetic expectations.

Orthodontic Time: The length of time is not based on the number of arches being treated, but upon the degree of angulation and distance the teeth must be moved to achieve proper alignment. All orthodontic treatment should be achieved within a two year time frame( with the exception of extremely complicated surgical cases, which may take an additional year).

No: and likely your overall results will be worse. as such we do top and bottom on all patients.

Opposite: By utilizing teeth and their bone support in both arches provides better anchorage, better loci of stability, to help move the structures that are man-aligned. Talk to a qualified Orthodontic Specialist as to what would be the most efficient way to resolve your individual malocclusion.